Scrumptious pumpkin desserts

If it feels like the Big Apple has turned into the Giant Pumpkin this fall, there’s good reason. Earlier this month, farmers in Illinois, where much of the US crop hails from, announced a stellar haul. The bumper bounty arrives just as pumpkins have achieved star billing in the city, appearing in everything from savory dishes to cocktails and confections.
New York City’s bakeries and restaurants have been crushing especially hard on the It squash this month, using the orange gourd in creative desserts that go far beyond plain old pumpkin pie. Here is a sampling of some of the more unexpected treats on offer—just in time for Halloween.
The Great pumpkin sundae ($8.50)
Brooklyn Farmacy, 513 Henry St., Brooklyn
The dish: Read it and weep, Charlie Brown: The Great Pumpkin Sundae is a small mountain of Adirondack Creamery’s seasonal pumpkin-pie ice cream, studded with black walnuts that have been soaked in Maine maple syrup then topped with a cloud of silky whipped cream. “My mom’s recipe is a secret, but I can tell you we use well over a pound of pumpkin in every gallon of ice cream,” says Adirondack Creamery chef Paul Nasrani.

Zandy Mangold

Pumpkin macarons ($2.25 each)
Francois Payard, Columbus Circle and 166 West Houston St.
The dish: Classic pumpkin pie flavors create the base for the ganache filling of this petite and delicate French sandwich cookie. The addition of white chocolate, butter and cream help smooth out the texture, while allspice gives the cookie itself a hit of heat. Ooh la la!

Eilon Paz

Pumpkin pie soda ($5)
Kutsher’s Tribeca, 186 Franklin St.
The dishes: Kutsher’s Pumpkin pie soda is a spicy, drinkable delight. The syrup base blends cider, cinnamon, clove, star anise and pumpkin purée. “I put three ounces in a glass with club soda and serve,” says Chef Mark Spangenthal.
Available on Oct. 31 only, Pumpkin pie hamantaschen, a traditional Jewish sugar-cookie filled with anise-scented pumpkin purée, will be available as part of that evening’s dessert specials.

Eilon Paz

Pumpkin Pie Hamentaschen ($8) from Kutsher’s Tribeca

Eilon Paz

Pumpkin pie doughnut ($12)
Catch, 21 Ninth Ave.
The dish: This fanciful confection is a mash-up of multiple textures and flavors. Yeast doughnuts full to bursting with pumpkin-infused cream are nuzzled against a scoop of spiced ice cream, some pepita streusel and drizzled with vanilla maple syrup.

Eilon Paz

Spiced pumpkin milkshake ($8)
Sugar and Plumm, 377 Amsterdam Ave.
The dish: Combining housemade pumpkin and vanilla ice cream, this creamy shake is spiked with maple-pecan-butter infused rum, then dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg before being crowned with a ginger molasses cookie.

Pumpkin whoopie pies ($1.75 each)
One Girl Cookies, 68 Dean St., Brooklyn
The dish: First introduced as a seasonal item at the bakery, these whoopie pies made with two discs of fluffy pumpkin cake and cream-cheese frosting have since become a year-round staple due to their huge popularity with customers.

Zandy Mangold

Pumpkin buns ($5.50 each)
Babycakes, 248 Broome St.
The dish: This dense, sticky bun is bedecked with a creamy nutmeg and vanilla-spiced pumpkin purée, then rolled, sliced, baked and drizzled with a sugar glaze. One would never guess that they’re gluten-free and vegan, to boot. (Note: They aren’t baked every day, but can be ordered ahead of time.)